1. Field of the Invention
The invention is in the field of energy conversion and/or storage and relates to a device which can be variously used as a solar energy converter, capacitor, photoamplifier, a photomultiplier, a synchronizer, a switching device, a photodetector, electromagnetic radiation measuring device, an ion plasma device and a computer memory unit.
2. Description of the Invention
In earlier filed Patent Application Ser. No. 805,399 which has been incorporated herein by reference, a unit has been described for use specifically as a means for converting solar energy into electrical energy. In that particular application, reference was made to solar energy conversion systems which, upon exposure to solar radiation, produce electron-hole pairs and a corresponding electrical current when a potential is applied across semi-conductor surfaces. Examples of such prior art are U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,736,848, 2,981,777 and 2,949,498. Alternate prior art devices such as U.S. Pat. No. 3,058,022, employ photo-emissive surfaces which, upon exposure to incident solar radiation, liberate electrons by means of a photoelectric effect. Typically, the liberated electrons are collected through a vacuum surface on a collecting surface, and the potential produced between the emitting and collecting surfaces form a voltage source which may be utilized for driving a load. Examples of such teachings are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,121,648 and 3,218,196. A similar technique utilizes thermally liberated electrons from an emitting surface upon exposure to incident solar radiation. The thermally liberated electrons are collected on a collecting plate and utilized to drive a load. U.S. Pat. No. 3,026,439 is an example of such a thermal energy converter. Various other solar energy devices employing various methods have been disclosed; however, the above are generally typical.
Prior art capacitors normally use a dielectric material placed between two electrodes which are oppositely charged. The opposite charge may be derived from either alternating or direct current sources. The dielectric material may be of various material; for example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,562,425 illustrates a semi-conductor material placed between two electrodes and charges form within the dielectric when it is exposed to light.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,193,710 illustrates prior art sealed, gas-filled capacitors. An example of prior art devices which illustrate capacitance changes when electromagnetic radiation reacts with the dielectric material is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 3,971,938.
Prior art thermal amplifiers and photoamplifiers include devices wherein a cathode surface emits electrons upon being excited by thermal energy or photon energy striking the cathode surface. The electrons are then collected on an anode which is spaced from the cathode material. The amplification is controlled by the amount of thermal energy which is generated in the cathode or the amount of light which strikes the cathode surface. Often, there is found, as in the case of triodes and pentodes, various numbers of grids which are placed between the cathode and anode and which are charged either positively or negatively to control the current flow of electrons from the cathode to the collector plate. These control devices are used to also amplify the amount of electrons which strike the collector plate and amplify signals which are placed on the various grids or plates spaced between the collectors and cathodes. There are also photocathode units which function as photodetector devices. These photodetector units are similar to that illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 3,310,701 which includes a semiconductor material and light transmissive insulator having another semiconductor material, a vacuum and an anode. In this particular device, the light activates the electrons on both semiconductive surfaces, and an opposite E-field is established between the semiconductor plates. The opposite E-field helps to increase the work function of the electron emissive semiconductor materials. The electrons which are emitted are transmitted through a vacuum and strike an anode surface. A similar approach is found in U.S. Pat. No. 3,814,993.
There are very few prior art devices which standardize the use of ion plasmas. Ion plasmas can be found in normal photocathode materials and normal thermal amplifiers and photoamplifiers publicly available. These ion plasmas take the form of charges on an electrically conductive surface. The electrically conductive surface may either be a controlling grid which is placed between the photocathode and the anode or may actually be connected to the anode or cathode to control the amount of charge which is placed on the photocathode or on the anode and spaced therefrom.
There are test methods for testing photocathodes. Such a test method is similar to that shown in U.S. Pat. No. 1,466,701 wherein the light strikes a photosensitive material, and the turning on and off of the light allows one to test the efficiency of the photocathode. Another method for detecting the amount of light which strikes the surface of a detector is in the form of a radiation thermometer as illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 3,161,775.
Current state of the art memory units for use in computers and calculators are illustrated, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,235,850 and 3,601,610, and as well as in selenium trapping memory unit illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 3,407,394. The memory units currently employed can be built of either semiconductive material as in the prior patent or in non-semiconductive material but light transmissive material as referred to in the latter patent.
It is an object of the instant invention to provide a method and apparatus for converting solar energy into electrical energy as discussed in Application Ser. No. 805,399.
Another object is to provide a method and apparatus wherein photoelectrons are liberated from an electron emissive surface and collected in a capacitive type storage apparatus for generating a relatively large amount of electric current to be utilized with a load.
Another object of the invention is to provide a capacitor storage means whereby the electrodes of the device act as plates in the capacitor and are capable of storing charges greater than that able to be charged in present state of the art devices.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a capacitor wherein the capacitance may be varied in relation to an applied voltage potential and produce a wide dynamic range of capacitance values.
A further object of the invention is to provide a capacitor storage means whereby the capacitance is variable via a solid state means or electric means rather than manual tuning.
A still further object of the invention is to provide a capacitor storage means wherein the current leakage of the capacitor is controllable and variable.
Another object of the invention is to provide a device which will amplify a signal resulting from a light or thermal source.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a synchronizer or a switching device which, upon the collection of a certain amount of electrons on a collector anode, will by means of a sensing apparatus between the collector and an electrode, cause a discharge of either the interior or exterior plates.
A further object of the invention is to standardize ion plasmas and allow ion plasmas to be used in relatively inexpensive devices.
Another object of the invention is to provide a method for testing photocathodes wherein a solid state test method is desirable. Still another object of the invention is to provide a device for use as a memory unit wherein the charge is stored on interior plates in a capacitive-type storage unit.